Land Tenure

Securing Land. Securing Futures.

Economic security is as vital to development as good health. For families in Zambia, land is often their greatest source of stability and income. Yet without formal records, land ownership is vulnerable to disputes and displacement. Akros works with partners to protect land tenure rights by bringing simple, mobile data tools to village communities—ensuring families can live and work on the land that has been theirs for generations.

The Challenge

In many rural areas, land ownership is recognized only through oral agreements. This leaves families at risk of losing their land, undermining livelihoods and community stability. Without secure tenure, development and economic growth remain fragile.

Our Solution

Akros has long believed that simple mobile tools are powerful drivers of change—from tracking malaria data to reporting sanitation progress. Now we’re applying the same approach to land tenure.

Through a subcontract with TetraTech under the USAID-funded Global Climate Change and Land Tenure program, Akros partnered with the Chipata District Land Alliance (CDLA) to design a DHIS2-based mobile reporting tool for tracking land claims.

Akros also developed protocols, training manuals, and built the capacity of TetraTech staff to roll out the system in Eastern Zambia.

  • Village Land Committees use the tool to record land ownership, disputes, and certificate requests.
  • Reports are transmitted electronically to CDLA’s central repository.
  • Chiefs can quickly print and deliver customary land certificates, ensuring families have formal documentation.
  • Akros also developed protocols, training manuals, and built the capacity of TetraTech staff to roll out the system in Eastern Zambia.

Impact

This innovation is unique because it leverages the same devices community health workers already use for Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM). This reduces fatigue, simplifies reporting, and empowers communities to safeguard both their health and their land.